Data storage

Choosing a storage solution

When choosing a platform, it is advisable to consider the project’s needs in terms of:

• what operative systems are compatible with the platform
• what security classification in the form of CIA-value (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability) the service has
• if the platform supports version management of files/documents
• the need for computing power and access to software on the storage space itself
• who can have access to data and how authentication of users is done
• if there is the possibility of editing via browser

Uppsala University offers itself and through the national NAISS consortium a number of services for active data. Some of the resources are free of charge, others can be used against a fee that is governed by security level, availability and backup frequency.

All services listed below:

• have a long-term management
• have solutions for backup
• have solutions for sharing content with researchers outside UU

Services for analysing and processing data are offered by some services listed below. That type of resources is also provided in many cases by national and international research infrastructures.

Services run or administered by Uppsala University

• Personal folder
  Centrally administered storage for all employees at Uppsala University.
  
  
• Central Data storage (Argos)
  Centrally administered platform for storing and sharing data. Selectable levels of service and security. Cost is depending on the chosen level.
  
  
• Dataportal Allvis
  Centrally administered platform for storing and sharing data and project documentation. The technical solution is based on Microsoft SharePoint and is suitable for documents and smaller datasets.
  
  
• Vesta
  Centrally administered platform for secure storage, processing and analysis of sensitive data. Offers a virtual Windows environment with a number of pre-installed software where data can be processed and analyzed without leaving the secure storage space. Logging into the system is done with multi-factor authentication.
  
  
• Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN)
  A digital lab/logbook and a platform for documenting research planning, research data and results. The system is web-based and is primarily intended to store/share/co-operate and archive lab notes. The system is not adapted to store large amounts of raw data and the file size is limited to 50 MB. The system is integrated with Microsoft Office as well as drawing software for chemical structures.
  
  
• UPPMAX
  Uppsala Multidisciplinary Center for Advanced Computational Science at the Department of Information Technology is a facility at Uppsala University. The operations and services range from large-scale data storage and high-performance computing to audio file transcription and a range of other IT services. Sensitive data and otherwise confidential information can be handled with high security. UPPMAX also contributes resources for teaching within Uppsala University. Please contact UPPMAX support for any questions.

Other resources for storing and managing research data

• EU Node - European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)
  EU Node is a central part of EOSC and offers computing, container, storage, and file transfer/synchronization services. EOSC is an initiative from the EU Commission and aims to develop a European digital infrastructure with services for managing research data. Do not use EOSC services for sensitive information.
  
  
• NAISS - National infrastructure for supercomputing in Sweden
  A national research infrastructure providing resources for large-scale computation (HPC), storage for active data, and user support for academic research in Sweden.
  
  
• SciLifeLab FAIR storage
  Storage and sharing solution for research data in the life sciences, funded by the national program DDLS (Data driven life science). The service is available after application procedure.

Commercial services

There are a variety of commercial services in the open market that offer storage and other functionality, often with an attractive price level. However, using the services of an external provider for storage and computing capacity imposes special requirements if the university does not have an agreement with that operator, in particular with regard to personal data and other information worthy of protection. Cloud services are often provided by international companies that are subject to the laws of other countries, and information stored in the cloud can in practice be handled in many different countries. Please note that the same applies to software that is used locally on your own computer, but that stores data on servers outside the university.